Phil Bond

Sonic Gumbo spicing up music Mumbo Jumbo Way

Mumbo Jumbo, definition: language or ritual causing or intending to cause confusion or bewilderment. The band achieve that with these thirteen cracking tracks. The music refuses to be defined some tracks have a feel of Tom Waits others tip their hat at Chas and Dave! One thing that is certain the latest album Sonic Gumbo spices up music the Mumbo Jumbo way. This is a sonic sound space that is crammed with high quality phrasing, lyrics and musical interpretation that make your ears prick up and listen. Sonic Gumbo is the musical equivalent of Cajun cooking, full of spice and every earful is a tasty delight. The trio that are in the Mumbo Jumbo musical cooking pot are Oliver Carpenter, Chris Lomas and Phil Bond the music is eclectic acoustic harmonious music. They mix fun and pleasure with reflections on life.

Opening with a Second Hand Guitar Dealer, with a swirl of the six-strings Sonic Gumbo is underway with a song about six-string obsessives. This is an upbeat number that guitar players who collect can definitely relate too. The dealer has a Faustian approach to selling especially those on their own. The tone changes for a Tom Waits fuelled number Sail That Ship. A complex tale of ex-lovers living in the same house, the accordion piano mix gives the number a Parisian mystery. The instrumentation is varied and cleverly suits every track with another track of trumpet and vocals that reflect Tom Waits to begin with, on Ally Slopers Holiday. Expect the unexpected as the trumpet-led music leads up the East End for a knees up in the boozer around the old Joanna (piano) a song to make you smile as Tom Waits meets East End via Gumbo Sonic. Tom reappears with No Devil at the Crossroads. This is a song explaining that the devil stays at home comfy in his slippers as the music lacks originality at the Crossroads these days. I know for certain blandness and Mumbo Jumbo will never be heard in the same sentence. I have heard the devil has his walking boots on and walking to a crossroads near Mumbo Jumbo to get more Sonic Gumbo.

The sadness of trumpet calling and piano opens Those Frail Few the vocals slow and measured as a moment of reflection is taken. This is an honouring of old soldiers all over the world. Old age reappears with Hosedown, do not be fooled by the upbeat tempo. Hosedown has a dark and salient message about how we care for the elderly. Why does care have to be rushed without humanity and care? No answer but a thoughtful modern song. The tempo changes again as the trumpet fanfare a sunshine number touched with a reggae tempo a dancing smiling number Taking You Back. Closing with The Final Encore the music hall is full, brightly lit and fun is being had. A superb way to leave Sonic Gumbo.

Sonic Gumbo is a collection of thirteen original tracks. Mumbo Jumbo have woven together an album that is full of intrigue, emotions and is fun and thoughtful. The approach is modern stretching music into a Sonic Gumbo stew of sounds and textures. There is Jazz, Reggae, blues and traditional riffs swirl together with a Mumbo Jumbo twizzle stick taking us on a carousel of musical fun.

Bluesdoodles gives this CD TENdoodle paws out of TEN ….

Track Listing

1. Second Hand Guitar
2. Sail That Ship
3. Ally Slopers Half Holiday
4. Those Frail Few
5. Rejoice
6. Hosedown
7. No Devil At The Crossroads
8. Later somehow
9. Taking You Back
10. Hold On
11. Back To The Wheel
12. Too Many Days (Like That)
13. The Final Encore